Week 2- Spiritual Gifts

Life Work:

Finding and Using your Spiritual Gifts

Scripture Memory Verse:

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us…”- Romans 12:4-6

Life Work Assignments:

1.)    Now that you “know” your spiritual gifts (if you don’t, take an assessment), you have no more excuses! Now it is a matter of praying for and finding opportunities to use them to STRENGTHEN OTHERS. Start looking around you. There are broken people everywhere. How can you strengthen them today? How can you use your gift to increase their faith through a difficult storm? Pray John Piper’s prayer, “Lord, Oh how I want to strengthen people’s faith today. Grant that at the end of this day somebody will be more confident of Your promises and more joyful in your grace because I crossed [her] path.”

2.)    In addition to gifts given to us by our Heavenly Father, He also gives us talents and passions. Make a list of your talents and passions. This will reveal other ways you can STRENGTHEN OTHERS.

3.)    Operation: Hope Front is growing! We are adding new ladies to the group and preparing for a conference in May. Think about ways your gifts, talents and passions can be used in this group. So often God is wanting us to go into our sphere of influence and shower those around us such as the ladies in this group and our families with our gifts, talents and passions so that we may STRENGTHEN OTHERS. Look around and find opportunities. Start something. Do something. Move forward. You will be surprised to see how God will allow that to move you from outside your own problems and issues into doing something that matters eternally.

4.)    If you haven’t figured it out yet, the purpose of these Holy Spirit helpings of abilities are to STRENGTHEN OTHERS. Walk around your world with that distinct purpose. Do it everywhere you go. If you know you have the gift of mercy and see someone hurting, take the time to sit with them and listen to them. If you know your gift is that of teaching, find someone who is a new believer or an unbeliever and offer to sit with them and teach them about God’s word. Christianity isn’t a “book knowledge” faith. You have to DO something with what you learn from His word!

Week 1- Ebenezer Stones

Life Work:

Ebenezer Stones

Scripture Memory Verse:

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

Life Work Assignments:

1.     It is so easy to get caught up in the past. Past mistakes. Past regrets. Past accomplishments. Take an honest look at how you are caught up in the past. The word “dwell” means to live in, to make one’s home. How are you setting up shop and living in your past life or choices? How is that keeping you from seeing the “new thing” God is trying to do in your life?

2.     Sometimes, we need to dwell on our past. Our past with God. The ways He has delivered us. The ways He has kept us safe or prevented something from happening. But, also the ways, He has carried us through the most difficult of circumstances. Continue reflecting on your own personal “Ebenezer Stones” or stones of help-things, people or events that have happened that God used to remind you of His presence. Create your own Ebenezer reminder. Maybe you go for a walk, praying about the ways God has helped you this past year and take some things you find such as rocks with you. Maybe you create a bracelet or piece of jewelry to wear and remind you of your Ebenezer’s. Maybe you write something and keep it tucked in your Bible. Just create a physical reminder of how God has shown himself to you this past year.

3.     After we dwell on our past with God, we need to start looking forward. If you haven’t already, complete a Spiritual Gifts assessment. Start praying about how God wants you to serve this ministry and others. Ask Him to reveal how He wants you to use your gifts!

What This Ministry Has Meant for Me...

So, as part of our venture to keep an updated blog, I'd love for you all to be sending in your stories of what the ministry has meant to you, what God has been teaching you or anything else you'd just like to share with the group as a whole through written words. Since I ask this of you, I thought it only fair for me to go first :).

I was discussing with Rachel the other day what our "word" would be to describe our last year. Mine was "broken." Before you feel sorry for me, let me explain. The past 2.5 years have been the hardest I have ever endured. If you don't know my testimony of them, I'll gladly share with you sometime, but they have been by far the most trying, trial ridden ones of my twenty eight years on this earth.

I have believed in God and had a personal relationship with Him since as far back as I can remember. It is sometimes with a faith like that, you can have a lot of "head knowledge" without the heart knowledge. It is not until intense periods of difficulties come that you have to decide, am I in or am I out in this thing called Christianity? It is an all or nothing choice. Black and white. Yes or no. There is no maybe, on the fence, when it is convienent Christians. God's says, the gate is narrow, many will say "Lord! Lord!" like you know me but I will have never known you.

So the past couple of years, my word has been "broken." God stripped me down to my bones and made me decide if I was in or I was out. Was I going to trust or going to falter? In the midst of this, He planted in me a desire to minister to other military wives. The thing real brokenness has taught me is that we are all broken. Every one is walking wounded. Most of the time we try to hide this fact, but if you take the time with people and "get real" as Dr. Phil would say, you figure out we are all broken, hurting people, just in different ways. One of my favorite quotes is "Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."-Plato. It's true, the deeper I get into this ministry, the more I realize we all got our own junk we are dealing with. And the more I realize we all just want someone to journey through the storm with us.

Anyway, so during my intense "junk fest," I somehow, through the Holy Spirit and some incredible Ebenezer Stones (this week's lesson if you missed it), got the awesome task to head up a ministry for military wives in our area. As I got deeper and deeper into this, God was doing an incredible work in me. Through serving, He was able to bind up some of my gaping wounds that I had and start the healing process in so many ways. He focused my mind and my energies on other people and I watched as He bandaged up a casualty. He put others in my path that were going through some of the hurts and pains I had already experienced and allowed me the chance to share how He brought me through those things and give hope. When you get those opportunities, it gives purpose for all the pain you have endured. When God can use your brokenness, He can start to do some incredible things, some healing things, some eternal things. Things that can make a stay at home mom, following a man around as he chases his dreams, feel as though her life matters.

So, when I think about what this ministry has done for me, I think it has healed me. God gave me suffering to allow me to understand just a small taste of the suffering Christ endured. He gave me ministry to help me understand the servant leader Christ was and how the old addage, "it is better to give than to receive" is more than just an overstated cliche, it is an enduring truth.

I know a lot of you are hurting. You are wading in a pool of your own junk. My prayer for you these next few weeks is that God reveals to you the ministry He has for you, both within this group and in your sphere of influence, so that you can start to experience the incredible healing work He so longs to do in your life.

Thanks for being one of my Ebenezer Stones...

In Him-
Catherine

Jan-May Calendar 2011

SHBC Operation: Hope Front Military Wives January-May 2011 Calendar

Bible Study Dates:

Night Time Study Time: 7:30-9:00pm Location: Catherine’s House Childcare: Not provided, but we can assist.	Day Time Study Time: 10:00-11:30am Location: Catherine’s House Childcare: Provided
Tuesday, January 11	Thursday, January 13
Tuesday, January 25*	Thursday, January 27*
Tuesday, February 8	Thursday, February 10
Tuesday, February 22	Thursday, February 24
Tuesday, March 8	Thursday, March 10
Tuesday, March 22	Thursday, March 24
Tuesday, April 5	Thursday, April 7
Tuesday, April 19	Thursday, April 21
Tuesday, May 3	Thursday, May 5

*Location may change for the 1/25 and 1/27 meeting dates. Please check your email!

CARE Time:

CARE is a time for us to come together once a month as a group and minister to the needs in the group. This may mean making/writing cards, calling someone, going to visit someone, praying or whatever the Spirit leads us to! We have set aside 4 dates for each study time and these will meet at other homes of ladies in the group. Check your email for more info the week before:

CARE Night Time Study	CARE Day Time Study
Tuesday, January 18 Tuesday, February 15 Tuesday, March 15 Tuesday, April 12	Thursday, January 20 Thursday, February 17 Thursday, March 17 Thursday, April 14

Fellowship Events: (MARK YOUR CALENDARS)

Saturday, February 5^th: Family Event! Location/Time: TBD Bring your hubbies (if they are home) and kiddos to this fun time for military families!

Thursday, March 3^rd: Ladies Night Out! Location/Time: TBD This one is just for girls! So arrange a sitter and get ready for some food and fun!

Friday, April 29^th: Family Event! Location/Time: TBD Bring your hubbies (if they are home) and kiddos to this fun time for military families!

Thursday, May 12^th: 2011 “A Day of Hope” Conference Set up day. Anyone who is able and willing, please help us set up for the 2011 Military Family Conference at Scotts Hill Baptist Church.

Friday, May 13^th: Conference Team Celebration! A time for all those who were a part of making the Conference happen to come together and celebrate!

Saturday, May 14^th: 2011 “A Day of Hope” Military Family Conference

Monday, May 23^rd: End of Spring Party. Location/Time: TBD Join us as we celebrate together in what God has done in our lives and through the ministry!

Deployed Spouse Dinners:

The Fourth Thursday of every month, all who have a spouse deployed (and those whose husbands are home!) are invited to come together for a meal! More details will come! Contact Amanda 

Outreach/Mission Projects:

Each month we will have a specific outreach/mission project. Contact Katie or Alissa for more info. Our focus for each month is below:

                February: Helping at a Local Soup Kitchen

                March:    Baby baskets for Military Families in Need

                April: Bake Sale to benefit a local Charity

                May: Blood Drive

Have an idea for the ministry, but don’t see it on the calendar? LET US KNOW!!

We’d love to have everyone involved in areas they feel passionate about!